THE ROLE OF WARFARE IN THE FORMATION OF THE STATE IN KOREA: HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL APPROACHES

THE ROLE OF WARFARE IN THE FORMATION OF THE STATE IN KOREA: HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL APPROACHES

Author:

Kang, Bong Won, 1954-

Abstract:

This dissertation is concerned with the formation of the Silla Kingdom, a
protohistoric state located in the southeastern portion of the Korean peninsula.
Combining theoretical issues and empirical data concerning state formation, I
present a case study of how one prime mover, warfare, played a role in the
formation of the Silla Kingdom between the first and fifth centuries A.D. Two
hypotheses associated with the significance of warfare were formulated and
tested against both historical and archaeological data.
To examine alternative models about the role of irrigation works and
long-distance exchange in the development of the Silla Kingdom, I analyzed
relevant historical documents, stelae, and selected archaeological data. Both
documentary and archaeological data suggest that irrigation works and long-distance
exchange were not sufficiently influential to claim critical roles in the
emergence of the state in southeastern Korea.
To test hypotheses formulated about the role of warfare, a number of
bronze and iron weapons excavated from burials in southeastern Korea were quantified and analyzed in conjunction with data on wars mentioned in the
historical documents. In particular, an analysis of empirical data on various
kinds of metal weapons that probably were used in battles strongly supports
the premise that warfare was a significant factor in the state formation process
of the Silla Kingdom between the first and fifth centuries. Both historical and
archaeological sources also reveal that there was a continuous local
indigenous development from lower-level sociopolitical stages to higher-level
ones in southeastern Korea, finally dominated by the Silla kingdom.
Furthermore, based upon the results of mortuary analysis, I conclude that the
Silla Kingdom became a state-level society sometime between the middle of
the fourth and the beginning of the fifth centuries during the reign of King
Naemul (356-402 A.D.).

Description:

xx, 404 p. : ill. A print copy of this title is available through the UO Libraries under the call number: KNIGHT DS911.72.K36 1995